While Passing Through Trains
by chemicalflashes
Summary: Theodore Nott hadn't wanted to sit with an ex-classmate when he had boarded the train to Dublin. He hadn't wanted to see her or do anything with her for that matter.


**While Passing Through Trains**

Theodore Nott hadn't wanted to sit with an ex-classmate when he had boarded the train to Dublin. He hadn't wanted to see her or do anything with her for that matter.

But then she lowered her newspaper to look at him and her voice was rough like glass being rubbed on stone.

 _"Theodore."_

•••••

There was really only one thing common between them:

Susan Bones could see Thestrals, and so could Theodore Nott.

She had seen her family being murdered by Lord Voldemort as an infant. He had seen his mother die from a sickness at age nine. Both of them could see those weird creatures from the start of their first year.

When Susan pointed her friends toward those frail looking beings, they rolled their eyes and recknoned she had gone temporarily mad.

Theodore had known better than to point them out.

•••••

She went to watch them in her fourth year. This year had passed mostly safe and sound and she was sure that no lack of information on directions, a basilisk or dementors would disturb her short trip to the Lake.

And that's where she saw him for the first time. Oh yes, she had seen him before from the classes they shared, but those had just been fleeting glances. Now she saw him and it was clear that he could see the Thestrals too.

Susan walked towards him with slow and hesitant steps; he was a Slytherin after all and as far as it went with them, they were not known for being jovial or friendly and warm.

"H-Hello."

He merely nodded in response and continued his staring towards the animals.

The silence was overpowering; she _had_ to say something.

"So you can see them too?"

"Hmm...any problem with that?"

"No, no problem. Curiosity gets the best of me sometimes." She shrugged.

"You do know that curiosity killed the cat, right?"

Susan remained silent, not choosing to think too much of his statement, but it was an amusing statement nonetheless.

•••••

They always saw each other at the Lake after their first meeting. She recknoned that maybe he was lonely. He reckoned that maybe she was too attached to the Thestrals.

They didn't talk much - except for the usual chatter about work and professors and which assignments to turn in. The conversations were bare minimum; there was no depth or the intimacy that is found in most friendships.

But then, they were not friends.

They were just some angsty teenagers who saw each other by the Lake. Nothing more, nothing less.

•••••

"I want to join," he said one day. He looked at her with unblinking eyes that startled her.

"You want to join what?"

"Don't play around. You know perfectly well what I am talking about - your secret lessons with Potter."

"No, I don't know what secret lessons you're talking about."

"Don't fool me. I know many of you attend his Defence Against the Dark Arts classes. So, I want to join."

She grew horrified. "Y-You can't - can't possibly want to join us."

"Why not?"

"Because you're a Slytherin!"

"That's a jolly good reason to reject me, I see. Why can't you accept the fact that I - yes, I, a bloody Slytherin - wants to join? Umbridge doesn't teach us anything. Nothing at all!"

"I thought you were more of a neutral sort."

"Well, everybody will have to take a side one day."

Susan didn't say anything. Hufflepuffs didn't judge others.

•••••

When she saw him next, he was wearing an Inquisitorial Squad badge and she was internally disturbed.

"I see you have joined them."

"You left me no choice. I had to pick a side."

•••••

Her sixth year was a torture. Her aunt - Amelia Bones - had been personally killed by Voldemort during that summer. Everybody kept asking her about her dead family members. Everybody except Theodore Nott.

One fateful day, during her Apparition lesson, she splinched her leg and the incident left her shaken for a long time. She was so shaken that she didn't leave the Infirmary for a week.

Theodore sat alone by the Lake, watching the Thestrals, throwing stones into the water and waiting for her.

She didn't come.

•••••

Their sixth year passed quickly - with a war in the Astronomy Tower and the death of their beloved Dumbledore and changed into seventh year.

"It's so unfair! Why does my family have to suffer? Why do I have to suffer!"

"You do realise that...my family believes in blood purity, don't you? Why are you ranting in front of me?"

His prefect badge shone rather onmiously in the pale moonlight.

"Yes, I know all about you blood purists and I hate your stupid lot!"

Later, Susan wouldn't be able to recall who moved first but as he walked closer with his earnest face and shining eyes, her mind short circuited. Perhaps she was embarrassed or perhaps she simply didn't remember but as Theodore Nott stood in front her, she realised that she liked his well defined jawline, his messy hair and his thin, pink lips.

She moved forward, her lips colliding with his. He stumbled for a moment and slowly kissed her back.

They spent the night outside with the Thestrals and the stars watching over them.

•••••

Theodore Nott hadn't wanted to sit with an ex-classmate when he had boarded the train to Dublin. He hadn't wanted to see her or do anything with her for that matter.

But then she lowered her newspaper to look at him and her voice was rough like glass being rubbed on stone.

 _"Theodore."_

And then her eyes were shining so earnestly and the war was long gone - like a distant but painful memory, he decided that maybe, just maybe he could have more things in common with her than just seeing Thestrals.

 **-fin-**


End file.
